British Airways Holidays recently announced the implementation of their new animal welfare policy. As part of this policy, the company no longer promotes attractions featuring captive animals, and will discourage its hotel partners from doing so.
All content relating to captive animal attractions was removed from the British Airways Holidays website. Customers can no longer purchase tickets to such exhibits through the travel company.
The new policy stems from a yearlong partnership between British Airways Holidays and the animal welfare organization Born Free, as well as decreasing customer demand for captive animal attractions.
“Our customers tell us they have concerns about wild animals being kept in captivity, and increasingly see animal performances in particular as outdated,” Claire Bentley, Managing Director of British Airways Holidays stated in a press release. “We are delighted to have worked with Born Free to develop our new strategy which allows our customers to make more informed choices and we are contacting all our hotel and attraction partners about our new approach.”
SeaWorld is included among the attractions that British Airways Holidays no longer promotes, making it the latest travel company to join a growing list of airlines and tourism businesses that have cut ties with the marine amusement park. In the last month alone, Virgin Holidays, United Airlines, and AAA Northeast dropped SeaWorld from their trip offerings.
“A growing number of tourism-related businesses clearly see the future,” marine mammal scientist Dr. Naomi Rose of the Washington, DC-based Animal Welfare Institute said in response to the British Airways Holidays press release. “They realize that their customer base no longer wants to see intelligent dolphins and whales performing circus tricks. Now it’s time for the marine theme parks to get the message.”
“We salute British Airways and AAA Northeast for following the lead of Virgin Holidays, ending their promotion and ticket sales for captive cetacean shows,” Rose stated. “Whales and dolphins belong in the ocean — not in concrete tanks — and we are thrilled to see a growing number of tourism-related companies realizing this at last.”
Here at Lady Freethinker, we couldn’t agree more.
Thank You to British Airways – may more of the airlines get on board with your positive actions.
STOP PROMOTING CAPTIVE ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS – INCLUDING SEAWORLD NOW!!!
I commend you on your progressive actions.
Well done British Airways. May everyone in the world follow suit.
PLEASE, PEOPLE…BOYCOTT ANY ANIMAL SHOW/ENTERTAINMENT/VENUE. PLEASE
Thank you British airways. And may you be a shining example to ALL the other airlines.
STOP ALL ANIMAL SHOWS & EXHIBITS & ZOOS & CIRCUS ANIMAL ACTS….NOW…FOREVER!
Animals are not entertainment…name & shame
Stop this by prosecution.
“If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals.” — Albert Einstein
Good for you, British Airways, and thank you for your caring and compassion of these captive mammals. Also many, many thanks to AAA Northeast, United Airlines and Virgin Holidays for leading the way on this very important issue. Those others who haven’t joined in, please follow the lead. Next tackle the growing number of trophy hunting exports.
Thank you, a step in the right direction.
Now if the airlines would stop the export of hunting trophies. This is just one small step.
Way to go British Airways I’m proud of you.
Please help stop this awful stuff.
WILDLIFE DO NOT BELONG TO HUMANS TO DO WITH WHAT THEY PLEASE! WE ARE NOT IN THE 17TH CENTURY WHEN HUMANS WERE NOT EDUCATED IN REGARD TO CAPTIVITY TO WILDLIFE & THE TORTURE, DEATH IT ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS CAUSES!! WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO DESTROY ANY LIFE FOR THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR!! COME OUT OF THE STONE-AGE AND START ACTING LIKE COMPASSIONATE HUMANS, NOT BARBARIANS OF THE PAST!!! THEY DON’T BELONG TO HUMANS!! BORN IN THE WILD TO LIVE OUR THEIR LIVES IN THE WILD!! HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IMPRISONED FOR NEVER COMMITTING ANY CRIMES!! PPLE ARE IMPRISONED FOR COMMITTING CRIMES! NO OTHER REASON! WHY SHOULD IT BE ANY DIFFERENT FOR OTHER INNOCENT LIVES!!
Good, about time!
FINALLY FINALLY….. MORE COUNTRIES NEED TO DO THIS.. THE ORCA WHALE AND OTHER MARINE LIFE.. ARE DYING OUT IN THE SEAS .. THERE HOME OF LIFE !! OVER FISHING BY THE FISHING INDUSTRY, THE FISHING INDUSTRY …….!!!! AND SHIPS AND SHIPS AND FISHING INDUSTRY !!! AND POLLUTING THE SEAS… ARE THE CULPRITS !!!!
finally finally………… all airlines should be doing this in all countries !!!! the ORCA and other marine life !!!!!! is in trouble and needs reproduction help … in the wild seas… they need there food back…. and stop the over fishing …. the FISHING INDUSTRY IS A KILLING INDUSTRY IF IT IS NOT CONTROLLED WITH FORCE… FISHING INDUSTRY FISHING INDUSTRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! your killing of the Orca’s and other marine life….. and these SHIPS SHIPS SHIPS !!!
Good on you British Airways I hope other airlines and hotels follow suite.
Well done BA and AA Northwest!!